Bairds Heavily Peated Distiller's Malt

Bairds Malt has taken steps to address the continuing demand for peated malt. The Inverness maltings has been re-established as a site for peated malt production following further investment in this process. The plant can manufacture peated malt in a range of intensities, including at the very high phenolic levels typically required by Islay Distillers.

Peated malt is used by some malt distillers to impart a smoked or peaty flavour to their spirit. This type of malt may also occasionally be used as a very small inclusion in brewers' mashes to produce beer with a smoked character.

Peated malt is made using exactly the same production regimes and barley as (plain) distilling malt. The main difference is that peat smoke or 'reek' is introduced into the air drying the malt during kilning. The peat smoke is absorbed onto the surface of the drying malt which, when processed, imparts the smoked peaty flavour to the finished product.